Gas-engine attachment for steam-engines.



PATBNTED MAR. '8, 1904.

lH. B.'NIGODEMUS. GAS ENGINE ATTACHMENT POR STEAM ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 27. 1902.

[NVE/WOR Nonsense.' l

UNITED STATES HENRY Patented 'March s, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

B. NICODEMUS, OF ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE K. BENNER, OF ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVALNIAv SPECIFICATION forming part of -Letters Patent No. 754,385, dated March 8, 1904.

Application led February 27, 190.25) Serial No. 95,897. (No model.)`

in Air and Gas Attachments for Steam-'En` gines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention is an improvement in gas-eny gine attachments for steam-engines, whereby a steamengine can be readilyconverted into a gas-engine when the steam is shut off and commingled air and gasadmitt'ed or used as a steam-engine-when the commingled air and front or the rear branch p assages4 of the gas is shut off and steam is admitted.

One object of my invention is to provide means whichwill enable the piston to beV operate'd either by steam or by the explosion of comminged air and gas, the piston-cylinder providing either a steam-chamber or'an ex.- plosion-chamber.

' Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation 'of a' steam-engine having my improved gas-engine vattachment applied to the cylinder thereof, the cylinder having an ordinary rotary valve and link motion. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectioniof the cylin- -der end of the engine. Fig. 3 is ahorizontal section of the cylinder end of an engine, taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 4. looking i'n the direc-4 tion of the arrows, .the cylinder having a chest and slide-valve. Fig. 4 is aside elevation of the same. Fig. 5 is a detail vertical `section of the air and gas valve. Fig. 'is a horizontal section of the same, taken on the linel 6 6 ofFig. 5 looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the pistoncylinder. Fig. 8 is aview f the outer end of the `piston, showing the defiector-plates. Y

In the drawings I have shown an engine, which is adapted to bedriven either bysteam compound. 1 is a main cylinder constructed with a/feed pipe or passage lf, having, a flanged inlet/1P,

on which is secured afeed-chamber 2,'w1th l which is connected a steam-pipe 2, having a controlling-valve 2b. Surmounting this feed` chamber 2 and securedvthereto is a valve-casing 3, formed in its lower part with ail-.finlets 3EL and at its upp'er part with an opening 3",

a controlling-valve 3d. ithin this valvecasing 3 is located an outwardly seating spring-supported check-valve 3 for admitting which acts as acommingling or mixing chamthereinto. The main cylinder is also provided with a rotary valve 4, locatedlat the outlet of the feed pipe or passage 1, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, for directingv the feed to either the chest 4b, having an exhaust 4, the rotary valve 4 having a crank-arm 4d, which' is opei-, ated byV the usual link mechanism 4e. Instead of thel rotary valve 4 I may empl-oy a slidevalve 4f, having a chamber 4h directing the sages 4. Y

5 is a piston-cylinder located partly within the main cylinder 1. This piston-cylinder 5 is constructed at its inner part ywithin the packing-ring 6 between the flanges 5" of each the inner iianges of each pair of' iianges tight at the sides, The louter part of vthe pistoneylinder 5 is constructed with a water-jacket 5, a iiange 5c, whereby the piston-cylinder 5 is bolted to theouter iiange 1c of the-'main Sis the flanged hend'of the piston-cylinder Ainsertion of any orm ofigniter 9,. '(See Fig. 1.) 10 is a valve-casing having a passage 102. providingjcommunication between the 'nner passage 5andthe outer passage'or antec amber 5 of the piston-cylinder 5.,

ber for the combined air and gas owing feed into eitherthe front or rear branch pas main cylinder l with pairs -of flanges 5a and a cylinder 1, an inner port 5d, an outer p'orte,

with which is connected a gas-pipe 3c, having combined air and gas to the feed-chamber 2,

pair, so as to make the passageA 1 a betweenvr 9o ywhich is forni d with an opening 8'* for the;-`

is an outwardlyseating spring-check y valve within the valve-casing for closing lthe passage 10 within the valve-casing 10 and .which may beheld open by a screw-rod12.

13 is the piston operating within -the. pistoncylinder and having its outer head13 provided with deflecting-plates 13b, wherebythe 7 explosive mixture is directed toward the outer end of. the chamberof the piston-cylinder.

4 The space withinthe piston-cylinder between the head 8 ofthe piston-cylinder 5I and the outer head 13a of the piston 13 provides an explosivev chamber.

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In order tostart the engine by commingled air and gas, itis necessary that the steam-valve 2b beclosed tight. If the engine has arotary.

Valve 4,2,it is necessary for the link mechanism 4 to be disconnected from the crank-arm 4d f and the rotary valve4 reversed, so Athat the .branchpassagesi will lbe opened through the valve-chamber from end to end, thereby permitting-` the explosive mixture to pass from the'inner end of the -piston 13 to the outer end vof theycihamber ofthe piston-cylinder'.- ,The

exhaust of the main cylinder 1 is closed by thev reversal of therotary valve4, and the air and gas having been previously thoroughly mixed in the feed-chamber 2 is permitted to enter the outerend 'of the chamber of 4the pistonat thisytime will start the engine.

in motion the exp v sus.

'l cylinder 5, at which time shownifof Athe engine is moved to such va poward direction, the

I a partial vacuum,

.the branch passages 4 the iiy-wheel (not sition that the piston 13 is moved to therearpiston 13 thereby creating inder. The piston 13 is now moved back again and compresses the explosive mixture. The

igniter now acts, and the explosion occurring Attention 1s called to the fact that while the engine is exhausts.

In orderto use steam as a means of propulsion within the .piston-cylinder, the screw-rod `12 of :the check-valve 11 is raised sufficiently `to cause the check-valve ll'to be unseated,

thereby lifting the valve 1'1, so the steam will' freely pass the steam-valve 4,' the latter being rearranged to regulate the steam. VWhen the steam is turned on, the pressure thereof. will keep the air 'and gas check ,valve2b closed, so that the steam will not interfere with the air and gas check valve 2".- y .I i

If the engine has a slide-valve 4f, the valverod must be disconnected and the valve moved, so thatthe branch passage 4 may be open from end to end of thepiston-cylinder.

which will cause the exploy osive mixture does not go4 through the check-valve 11 until the enginel 5o* ply arranging certain valves the engine can e driven yby'eithei` steam or an explosive mixture. i v

To start the engine by gas ina rotary-valve engine, the rotary valve is turned upside down to open the ports inthe main cylinder and at the `same time close theV exhaustA of the ymain cylinder. The crank atrthe forward ehd of the engine is setin position', and in turn the piston will It vwill therefore be apparent that by sim- -be set vin position, so thatfwhen, T-

the .gas is turned Von and the flywheel-(not` shown) turned back the pistonwill draw in a charge of 4commingl-ed air and gas into the` front end of the cylinder. Then the Iiywheel is turned ahead to press the commingled y -air and gas into` the exploding end of the pis'-,

ton-cylinder. I Then if the ily-wheel is turned back `the air and make theexplosion. At the same time'there gas will-be compressed and will be anothel` charge ,inthe frontend of the cylinder ready to be 4received' inthe ex'ploding end when engine exhausts the old charge..

engine, the'valve-slide 'is disconnected from the 'cam-rod and the'slide-valve moved, so `that theports will be Wide. open `and toV let the commingled air and gas 'travel free from they To start the engine by gas on a slide-valve.

front end ofthe cylinder through the steamchs't tothe exploding en d of the piston-cyl- 1n er.. 'e I When it `is desired "to run .the engine by steam; the steam-exhaust'is opened, the ex.-

haust closed on piston-cylinder, and thevalves `properly varranged to let steam Vpass through free, and then turn.' on the steam.

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Having thus descrihedmy invention, vthe following is what I-c'laim asA vnew therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. The combination `with a main cylinder;

4of a .pistoncylinder` vhaving itsinner part located.' Within'the Vmain .cylinder and providing either a steam-chamber or'explosiom. chamber; passages `for `feeding either steam or an vexplosive mixture into the piston-cylinder, Lvalves for controllingtlie dow-through thepassages, and an igniter for the explosive mixture.

2. The combination with a main'cyl'inde'r, of a feed ypipeor channel, anvalve-casing com- ;municatingwith the feed-chamber having air inlets, a gas-pipev` connected. with .the valvel IIS` casing, a check-valve within the valve-casing,

ya piston-cylinder having its inner part located within the main cylinder and providing 'either a steam-chamberor explosion-chamber, feedpassages providing communication lbetween the opposite ends ofthe `piston-cylinder, a' valve-casing having fa check-valvefwhereby communication withuthe outer part 4of the :chamber of .the piston-cylinder is con`trolled las f and an igniter for-the explosive mixture conindex". l

3. The combination with the' main cylinder, of a piston-cylinder secured to one end of the nected with the buter partvof` fthe piston-cylmain cylinderl having a part thereof located.

within the main cylinder and the remainder thereof extending beyond the main cylinder, the said piston-cylinder providing either 4an explosion or steam chamber, means for controlling the admission of an explosive mixture to the chamber of. the piston-cylinder, a piston located within the piston-cylinder, and

means for controlling the admission and exhaust of steam to thc .piston-cylinder.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature'in 'the presence of two Witnesses.

HENRY B. NICODEMUS. Witnesses:

JOHN NOLAND, E. E.' POTTER. 

